Loss-preventing earring



1934-i P. TIMEN ET- AL I LOSS PREVENTING EARRING Filed Oct. 18, 1934 Patented Dec. 25, 1934 11 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to an earring and is a continuation in part of our application Serial No. 527,268, filed Sept. 6, 1934..

The main objectis to provide a novel means whereby the same maybe secured in place against danger of accidental detachment and loss.

Another object is to provide a novel construction wherein safety means coacts with the fastening post to prevent loosening movement thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel construction wherein the fastening post is threaded through the earring and through a. safety element, the latter being anchored to the earring and having a movement independently of the post I in order to bind or look withthe threads thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel construction in combination with a jam nut to resist movement of the jam nut on its engaged threaded member in jammed andreleased positions. i

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connectionwith accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:--- 1 Figure 1 is a view of the improved earring embodying our invention in side elevation,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the earring alone,

Figure 5 is a view substantially similar to Figure 1 but showing the safety device in position,

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Figure 5, and

' Figure '7 is a detail of a modified form of locking device.

Referring specifically to the drawing, a conventional earring is shown at 10 which may be of U-shape having lobe engaging members 11 and 12, the former being fixed to the earring andthe latter being carried by a screw post 13 which is screw-threaded through the earring at an opening 14. A finger manipulating knob or element 15 is provided at the outer or free end of the post.

As is wellknown, the post frequently loosens and accidentally moves outwardly, separating the members 11 and 12 whereupon the earring falls from the ear and is lost. This is especially true after sufficient usage of the earring to cause wear on the screw-threads of the post 13.

To eliminate the possibility of casual unscrewing of the post 13 as stated, a locking disk 16 is released provided having a threaded opening 17 engaging the screw post 13 that operates as a jam nut to prevent unscrewing action of said post 13. Earring 10 is provided with a disk-like enlargement at 18 having a. pin 19 projecting therefrom, and disk 16 is provided with an arcuate slot 20 concentric with the opening 1'7 and post 13. The disk-like enlargement 18 serves to sustain the thrust of disk 16 when in locking engagement, and as the diameter of pin 19 is the same as the width of slot 20 said pin frictionally engages the side walls of the slot to hold disk 16 from casual movement on post 13 either when serving as a jam nut as above stated or when the disk is in released position to permit manipulation of the post 13 as shown in Figure 5.

The advantage of the construction including the frictional engagement of the pin 19 with the walls of slot 20 will thus be apparent as it enables adjustment of the lobe engaging members 11 and 12 to comfortably engage the ear lobe, the disk 16 being held spaced from the enlargement 18 against the otherwise natural tendency of the disk 16 moving with post 13 into jamming position, and when the adjustment has been made and the disk 16 moved into jamming position it will, as stated, be held from casual displacement. Furthermore the pin and slot structure serves to limit the movement of the disk 16 from jamming to released position.

The disk 16 is of suificient size to enable ready manipulation and its margin is preferably provided with a multiplicity of lugs at 21, to facilitate gripping and manipulation.

A modified form of locking element is shown at 16 in Figure '1, corresponding to the locking element 16 and differing therefrom only in shape inasmuch as it may be circular as shown and have more lugs as at 21', than the similarly functioning lugs 21.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:-

1. In combination, a threaded stem, a member in which said stem is screwed, a pin projecting from said member, a jam nut threaded on said stem and having an arcuate slot therein receiving said pin to limit the relative movement of the nut and member, the slot being of the same width as the diameter of the pin to provide for frictional engagement between the pin and the side walls of the slot to hold the nut in adjusted positions relatively to the member.

2. In an earring, a U-shaped ear-engaging member having a lobe engaging member fixed thereto, a post threaded into said U-shaped member and having a lobe engaging member thereon alined with the first lobe engaging member, a 5 disk threadedly engaging said post, and a pin and slot engagement between said U-shaped member and the disk, said pin being of the same diameter as the width of the slot providing a frictional engagement between the walls of the slot and the pin to resist rotation of the disk.

' JOSEPH ACITO. PAUL TIMEN. 

